• The Renault R17 concept reimagines a 1970s classic. 
• It has a 270-horsepower electric motor and carbon fiber body panels. 
• Renault has no plans to build it, and that’s a shame. 
  

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Reviving vintage car designs with a modern twist isn’t new. Automakers love nostalgia as much as the rest of us, which sometimes translates into gorgeous restomod concepts we wish were real. The Renault R17 is one of those cars. Revealed today, it takes the idea of an icon, fits it with an electric powertrain, and wraps it in a stunning reimagining of the classic 1970s design ethos.

Renault collaborated with Ora Ïto, the French designer, on the car, which features a carbon body and some incredibly good proportions. The car takes inspiration from the Renault 17, a hatchback the automaker sold from 1971 until 1979.

Rectangular LED headlights integrate into the front fascia, while the simple, full-width LED taillight bar flows with the car’s simple lines. The R17’s flared fenders improve its stance, giving it a sportier appearance than the original Renault 17, and the subtle louvers add a bit of flair.

Renault

Renault

Inside, Ora Ïto used materials and fabrics from the 1970s to create a contemporary cabin that tastefully hides the screens through design. Four rectangular displays sit behind the rectangular steering wheel, while the central display sits horizontally below the dash like an old-school radio. 

While it has a 270-horsepower electric motor and can travel 249 miles on a single charge, Renault has no plans to put the concept into production. This car will remain a one-off affair that the automaker will showcase at several upcoming events, including the 2024 Paris Motor Show in October. But if Hyundai can change its tune about the N Vision 74, maybe Renault can, too.

Prodrive makes cool stuff. The Oxfordshire, England-based engineering firm gave us the stunning P25 Subaru 22B restomod, several Le Mans-spec race cars, a handful of Dakar trophy trucks, and of course, Colin McRae’s legendary Subaru rally cars. Now Prodrive is teaming up with Astheimer Design for an adorable utility van.

The joint project is called Elm Mobility, and the first product out of that partnership is the pint-sized Evolv electric van. Designed for use as a “last-mile” delivery vehicle, the Evolv van is a mere 128.0 inches long, 57.0 inches wide, and weighs just 1,874 pounds.

Elm Mobility

The van’s main cargo area can hold freight up to 5.2 feet tall and weighing more than 660 pounds. A secondary cargo area (accessible via rear “barn doors”) offers another 3.9 feet and 440 pounds worth of capability. It even has a turning radius of 25.6 feet—just shy of a London taxi cab’s 25.0-foot turning radius.

The driver sits in a single-seat cabin with a huge wraparound windshield for maximum visibility (it even has two windshield wipers). But don’t worry, Elm says the Evolv meets N1 (small van) safety crash standards in Europe. It also promises to be one of the most capable and efficient vehicles in the L7e category.

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Elm Mobility

The proposed battery is a 20.0-kilowatt-hour pack with about 100 miles of range—just enough for short-distance deliveries. Plugging into a level 2 charger would refill the van from 20-80 percent in less than two hours. The listed top speed is just 50 miles per hour, but Elm says that other battery configurations are “under consideration.”

The Elm Evolv van is just a concept for now, but production is planned for 2028. The company is currently working with an investor in the US to bring a small fleet of electric vans Stateside, but the majority of them will remain in Europe. Elm wants to build 10,000 units annually by 2030, with pricing estimated to be somewhere in the $30,000 mark (£25,000).